The present invention relates to musical instruments such as guitars, banjos and the like, and more particularly to apparatus for assisting placement and retention of the instrument in a comfortable playing position.
Guitars, both acoustic and electric, are often played from a standing position with the instrument being supported by a strap looped over the shoulder of the player. While a standing position facilitates the ability to move about on a stage and to perform easily in front of an audience and with other performers, the standing position does not adequately allow the performer to play in a position that is both comfortable and allows the performer the full range of motion, optimum accessibility by both hands to the instrument, and adequate sight lines to the instrument. This is particularly the case with an acoustic instrument, which is typically deeper and less contoured, if at all, on the back than it""electric counterpart, although the same principal applies in both cases. Playing an instrument in a standing position necessitates that the front of the instrument face completely away from the performer, with the back of the instrument flush with the performer""s torso. Also, the weight of the guitar can become quite uncomfortable for the player after playing the guitar in a standing position over a period of time. The traditional support strap can also cause tension on the neck due to the weight of the instrument.
Historically, guitars and other similar stringed instruments were designed to be played, and are played, in a sitting down position. This position allows a performer to both tilt the guitar at an angle so that the bottom back edge of the instrument rests on either knee, the top back edge of the instrument only is touching the torso, and a gap is formed between the instrument and the torso. An imaginary line parallel to the face of the instrument and running between the ceiling and the floor thus intersects an imaginary line parallel to the performer""s upright torso. This allows better right hand access to the strings in the vicinity of the sound hole by the right hand, with less strain put on the right wrist because of the angle, and the further ability to hold the forearm off the face of the instrument, thus allowing the instrument to reverberate naturally. The performer also has the ability thus to tilt the neck of the instrument toward the ceiling for better left hand accessibility, and to angle the top leading edge of the neck toward the performer""s torso in order to facilitate comfort and maximize the performer""s sight lines to the entire neck in addition to the face of the guitar.
Another problem sometimes encountered when using a traditional support strap involves damage caused to the rear surface of the instrument by the player""s belt buckle. Using the traditional support strap, the rear surface of the instrument contacts the player""s torso as described above. Such contact can result in scratching of the rear surface by a belt buckle or other hard objects, such as jewelry, worn in the front of the player""s torso.
The present invention comprises a playing support device for positioning and supporting a plucked musical instrument such as a guitar or the like, in a way which allows the performer to position the instrument in front of the body in a manner as if the instrument were being played in a sitting down position as described above. This device also assists in relieving pull on the shoulder caused by the support strap due to the weight of the instrument. The instrument includes a body portion having a rear surface and a neck portion connected to a second end of the body portion. A first strap attachment button is attached to a first end of the body portion opposite the second end. Some guitars have a second strap attachment button which is attached to the instrument proximate the region where the neck portion joins the body portion. The playing support device of the present invention is useable with both types. The playing support device comprises a cushion member; a first adjustable strap member having opposite ends, one end being attachable to a first end of the cushion member; and a second adjustable strap member having opposite ends, one end being attachable to a second end of the cushion member. In one embodiment of the present invention, useable with those instruments having first and second strap attachment buttons, the other end of the first adjustable strap member is attachable to the first strap attachment button; and the other end of the second adjustable strap member is attachable to the second strap attachment button. In another embodiment of the invention, useable with those guitars having no second strap attachment button, an auxiliary adjustable support member is useable in place of the second adjustable strap member. In this embodiment, one end of the auxiliary adjustable support member is attachable to the second end of the cushion. The other end of the auxiliary adjustable support member is attachable to a portion of a guitar support strap attached to the guitar. In yet another embodiment of the invention, both adjustable strap members encircle the waist of the player with the other ends of the adjustable strap members attached together to secure the cushion member in position between the body of the player and the rear surface of the body of the instrument.